A Heart Between Us
by Nora Mutao Frost
Summary: While busting a slavery auction Cole accidentally purchases a very young slave. Zane agrees that it would be best to take care of the young girl. They know what they're doing...what could possibly go wrong?
1. Chapter 1

**_Authors Notes: This is going to be a Glaciershipping fic. Just FYI if you don't like that sort of stuff. I hope you like it. I'll post this as fast as I can as usual. I've got enough of another project done that I'm able to free up a bit of time to do this. Hope you like it._**

 ** _Read and Review Please!_**

 ** _Disclaimer: I do not own Ninjago or anything thereof!_**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 1_**

 ** _Bright Eyes_**

"This is so boring!" Jays complaint came through the ear bud loud and clear. A few groans echoed over the channel from the group. Zane of course stood perfectly still bow in hand, and his optics on max zoom. He was to keep a watch on the man down in the crowd in the disguise. Well if that's what you wanted to call it. A mustache, suit, and slicked back hair put up into a low ponytail. Cole once again in disguise. He offered this time, he was getting so used to being Rocky that it just became second nature.

At the moment he walked through some odds and ends. There were loads of cars, and furniture, houses, animals. None of these were what he was looking for. Even baskets marked as surprises. Probably there version of blind bags.

"What are those things Cole?" Nya asked.

"Probably someone's ancient dirty laundry." Cole replied shaking his head reaching out to look.

"Sir, please do not touch the merchandise." One of the guards said. Cole jumped spinning around at the sound of the voice.

"Oh sorry." He said clicking his fake ivory cane on the ground. He turned straightened his tie, and started to head to his seat.

"Maybe it's a complete bust." Lloyd offered, watching the official as he got up on the stage and started to file through his pages.

"I don't want to rule this out yet. I mean I got dressed up and everything." Cole said.

"Cole...everyone here has the same similarities as to the person we were supposed to keep an eye out for. Wearing illegal clothing. Jewelry that is far more expensive than I or Pixal...put together. Pixal also scanned them in general they're all...wanted. So it doesn't matter in the long run if there are slaves here to be sold...we should call the police in now." Zane said.

Cole nodded his head and touched his ear bud to switch channels to call the police.

"$75 gold to the man in the white tux here." The Auctioneers voice boomed and echoed throughout the marble walled room. Cole looked up at the auctioneer who took that as an affirmation.

"Cole? Did you just buy there ancient dirty laundry?" Jay laughed loudly.

"Sold!" The auctioneer yelled slamming a gavel down on the stand.

"Yeah...I kinda did." Cole sighed and walked toward the back. "Well it'll give me a chance to look in the back while I pay right?" Cole said.

"Just be careful Cole. Who knows what's back there." Lloyd told him.

He threw the coins onto the table. Luckily it wasn't too much. The small basket was adorable, maybe he'd keep it for his own laundry. A guard gestured to him to walk with them. Coles cane clicked against the stone floor as he walked. There was stone everywhere in fact. Lots of flags from different places.

"Lot number 182. Here we are." The guy handed Cole the key and walked off. Cole looked slightly confused. He had bought a basket and whatever was inside...didn't he?" He glanced around and unlocked the door. He opened the door and looked inside.

No windows, no furniture, nothing was in the room save for a small ball of clothing and skin in the middle of the floor. Cole couldn't breath, he was almost too afraid to do even that. He lightly walked forward and touched the arm. A little girl jumped and looked at Cole. Her eyes were so bright they could have been mistaken as the sky itself. So pale and blue. Cole's heart skipped a beat.

"Guys...you're not going to believe this."

"Ah Mr. Dangerbuff." Cole jumped at the sudden presence at the door. "Is she to your liking? A brand new breed of human engineered with the finest genes that we know of. But the reason for her low price is the fact that she's only 4 years old, and a female."

'What did that have to do with anything?' Cole wondered looking around at the man who seemed to be going through the same song and dance he went through with everyone else. A practiced routine he probably did every auction, and it pissed him off horribly. But if he was going to get this girl out alive he had to play his part too.

"It is understandable and my son is still young so he'll have a servant that will grow with him." Cole said looking down at the little girl who stood up. The shirt she was wearing sagged off one shoulder. It was far too big to be anything other than a potato sack. Her hair was incredibly short, but very curly and brown.

"She's got all her teeth, and toes too. Your a lucky one." He said.

Cole looked down at the name tag around her neck.

"Kairi? Is that your name?"

She stuck her finger in her mouth and nodded her head. There was a loud slap noise and Kairi fell flat on her back. She curled into a little ball.

"You will answer yes master to Mr. Dangerbuff! " The jerk yelled at the young girl. "He is your owner and you will listen to him. Is that understood!"

Kairi stood up and nodded her head. A long line of blood going down her lip and nose. Kairi jumped when the man went to hit her again. Cole took hold of the man's hand and kicked him into the corner. The man slid down the wall and landed in a heap on the floor.

"I hate people like you." Cole said and tapped his ear. "Commissioner...we got them. This place is full of slaves. Genetically engineered slaves." He took his hood off and ran it over the little girls nose and chin.

"Come on Kaira lets get you home hum?"

"Home?" Her voice was so small. Almost like she was to afraid to speak. Cole bent down and picked her up. She cringed and curled in trying to protect herself. Cole realized at this moment that she was going to need some TLC. Major TLC.

Walking into the auditorium where they had the auction there was chaos all over the place. Each door was blocked by a Ninja and police were taking names. Cole looked around and spotted Zane by one of the exits and walked over to him, pulling his ponytail and tie as he did.

"Hey babe." He said Zane lowered his hood looking at the little girl in front of him.

"Whose this?"

"That lot I bought."

"You purchased a slave?" Zane asked. The little girl flinched away from Zane's hand as he reached out for her. "You said they're genetically engineered?" He looked into the girls bright blue eyes. They were an unusual color. A loud growl echoed within the archway where they were standing. She blushed and buried her face in Cole's chest.

"Please pretend you did not hear that. Continue your conversation. I am not here." Kairi's tiny voice could almost barely made out in the noise of the room.

"Cole we can not just...give her back. She is...a human toddler. The only one of her kind. We can't just...give her back. She'll be shuffled around from foster person to foster person. We…" Zane was clearly upset by this. Cole thought it was adorable

"Are you suggesting we adopt her, babe?" Cole asked.

Zane stopped what he was saying and thinking for a moment.

"I am, love. We are two males and we can not have children as is. So there's always this option." Zane offered.

Cole took a deep breath and looked down at the little girl whose eyes darted from one side of the room to the next.

"It's not up to us Zane. I mean, I'm all for it. Look at how small and adorable she is." Cole smiled at her. She didn't move away from his gaze. "But she's been beaten, babe. It's going to take a little while to get her out of it. "

"I see." He ran his fingers through the unkempt hair. "First things first however...she's dirty as a dog."


	2. Chapter 2

_Authors Notes: Thanks again to Ceata88 for beta-reading for me. This is a whole lot better then I had before._

 _ **Please Read and Review** its how we writers know if we're good enough. We tend to lose hope if you don't._

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 2_**

 ** _Who are You?_**

The place was huge! So much bigger then she would have ever imagined being a servant in. She looked on at an old man in a straw hat sitting on the porch. She bowed respectfully to him before following the man in black into the temple. He was the man that bought her so she'd follow him, Right?

She was brought into a room with tiled floors, and smelled very much like soaps. Was she to help him bathe? She gasped when he left. She looked around the room only to see a woman with black hair walk in to the room with a pair of tan cloths.

"Luckily Lloyd's mom still had a few pairs of his pants and shirts. They're all black though, So you'll just have to make do till we can make you some new ones." She said. Kairi didn't care what kind of clothing she wore. As long as her master said it was alright. She looked outside the door to see the man with the white hair fizzle for a moment and go completely silver. A soft gasp escaped the young girls lips as he walked into the room.

"I have created a soft soap for you Kairi. You are to use it to bathe with." He had said.

Kairi looked at it then at Zane, she wasn't totally sure who this man was. But he held it out to her and she kept it. Perhaps it's what she was to use for her master?

She heard a loud splash and she turned to see an iron tub in the middle of the floor. There was steaming hot water being put into it. The silver man touched the side of the tub and the steam calmed down. Kairi gasped when her shirt was pulled over her head and thrown to the side. She stood there blushing but walked forward as instructed by Nya. She helped her into the large tub. The water went up to her chin so she clambered to her knees and sat like that. The bubbles felt nice to her and the water was very warm. All the baths she ever had in the past were just water being poured on her and she was commanded to wash herself with a bar of soap. It was sticky and stunk like horrible perfume. This one smells sweet like honey.

"Now, do you still have that soap Zane gave you?"

Oh she had forgotten about that. She held up the bottle that was now dripping wet. Nya had took it from her and put it onto a tray on the other end of the tub. She looked up at the black haired girl.

"Got a name?" Nya asked. Kairi pointed to her name tag. Nya looked at it and gasped. "You aren't dog." Nya said and unhooked the name tag and threw it over with the shirt she had just vacated.

The name tag had left behind a tan line and rub marks. Like at some point it was to small for her and they had only just resized it. Nya poured some water over her head. Kairi panicked for a moment and flailed her arms and held onto the side of the tub.

"Alright, let's lather up that hair. At least it's short though. We don't have to use so much soap." Nya poured the purple substance onto her hair and started to rub her hands in it.

Honestly, it felt wonderful as Nya's fingers ran over her hair. She tried her best not to make any sound, but light purring noises escaped her. Nya giggled and looked up at Zane who brought over another warm bucket of water pouring it onto her head.

"Alright Kairi, you can use a bar of soap right?" Nya asked. "I don't feel comfortable washing you myself. So I'll give you this and you can clean yourself alright?" Nya shoved Zane from the room. He was always ignorant to privacy.

Kairi sat there for a second looking around the room. There were shelves with many different kinds of soaps, many different colors too. There was even a full length mirror on the wall, A shower in the corner with a curtain that had bubbles on it, A large sink, and a toilet behind a curtain. She relaxed a little bit, sitting down completely again and running the cloth over her skin. It felt lovely to just sit there and bath as much as she liked. Sadly however, the water wasn't as warm as she would have liked anymore. Actually I was starting to get a little cold.

There was a knock on the door and she looked up over the rim of the

tub. Nya peaked in saw the tiny pale blue eyes looking back at her.

"Are you all done?" Nya asked in her kind voice. Kairi nodded her head.

"Then let's get you dried off and in bed." She pulled Kairi from the iron tub. She almost smiled when she felt a soft towel around her. As she was set down she could feel the softness of the carpet below her feet.

"She really is darling." Another woman's voice said. Kairi looked up to see an older woman with graying hair. Kairi tried to bow, but she found herself being dried off and fitted into Lloyd's old cloths. She had a huge 5 on the front of her shirt in purple.

"You know I don't think these shoes will fit. She's so tiny." Misako said putting the shoes back into the box.

"What about her hair, Cole?" Nya asked as she combed through it. Cole looked inside to see the brightest red hair he ever saw.

"Dude what happened to the brown hair?" Cole ran his fingers through it.

"It must have been so dusty that she appeared to have brown hair." Zane watched his boyfriend pick up the child in his arms. The little girl once again looked a little bashful of him. "I do not think she likes that, Cole."

"Likes what?" He looked down at the young girl who was covering up her face.

"She's used to being a slave Cole. She might not be used to being carried. Or worse...being carried might mean something a bit more...sinister." Misako ran her fingers along the young girls back. Kairi gasped and flopped around with uncontrollable giggles.

"Did you hear that, babe!" Cole exclaimed looking around at Zane who shared a smile with him.

"I hear."

Kairi looked around and gasped seeing two more people looking in on them. Kairi wasn't to sure about this. It was a big house, would she be able to see to all of their needs as she should? Were there other servants for her to look up to? She began to tear up and look around at everyone.

"Damn it Kai...your ugly face scared her." Jay swatted Kai.

"Did not." Kai swatted him back.

"Move." Nya yelled at them both. They both parted and allowed her to go by without an argument. Cole followed her out Zane right behind.

"We should put her in the extra room for now." Zane said motioning to it. Cole opened the door and looked around at everything. Kairi found herself being set down on the floor next to the bed.

"Alright kiddo, it's getting late. It's almost twelve now. Let's get you into bed." Cole pulled back the blanket. Kairi was confused, was this there way of training her? She had already learned this. Wh…She jumped when he picked her up again depositing her onto the bed.

"She doesn't talk much does she?" Zane asked.

Cole looked down at her and smiled.

"You may speak if you want."

"Am I not...supposed to do this myself?" She tried to squirm away from him. "I have been taught to do this already. I can also do the cooking, and cleaning if that is what you wish." Her voice was incredibly low. Almost like she didn't want to speak any higher than his voice.

"You are no longer a slave, Kairi. You are just a little girl." Zane told her.

This confused her.

"But I am your servant am I not?"

"You are not. We are going to adopt you. You are to be out daughter." Again this confused her.

"Are you...female?" She looked from one to the other.

"No...we're…" Zane looked at Cole.

"We're gay." Cole told her. This confused her for a moment. She had never seen such a thing.

"What is...gay?" She asked.

Zane went into the definition.

"It means we love each other as a man and woman would. Cole is my boyfriend." That she understood.

"I never knew that could be a possibility. I apologize." She said. Zane looked at Cole sharply.

"Oh no you're still young. You'll learn. But for now...just get some sleep alright?" Cole ran his fingers over her hair. The gesture confused her no of her handlers before had ever did this. Perhaps this was something new to learn?


	3. Chapter 3

**_Authors Notes: Love the heart warmth of this fic so much :D_**

 ** _Please read and review!_**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 3_**

 ** _Unfinished_**

A rooster crowed off in the distance. Kairi opened her eyes to see the sun just peeking up over the trees. She could barely see it through the crack in the red and gold curtains. It felt so weird to sleep in an actual bed. The sheets felt great to her skin and the covers felt so silky.

She looked around the room. There was a small box over in the corner filled with black clothes. She expect those were the clothes that used to belong to that Lloyd guy. Kairi walked over and sifted them putting them neatly into drawers.

Slowly she walked out of her bedroom. She walked down the hallway trying her best to remember where the restroom was. She looked into the room and closed and locked the door behind her. She used the toilet before running back toward the door.

She stopped when she spotted herself in the full length mirror. She ran her fingers over her face, it was milky white. Not very smooth or pretty feeling. Her hair wasn't very pretty either. It had been cut short so she didn't have to bother with it. Just enough to touch her forehead. Her eyes looked inhuman. She was inhuman. The clothing hid her thin frame from the world at least. But the fact that her fingers were bony would tell everyone that she ate maybe once every two or three days. Depending on if she did a good job or not.

Kairi slowly walked out of the bathroom and down the hallway in search of the kitchen. The place was so big compared to what she had imagined. She walked by some rooms hearing light snores, there was one where she could see the guy in blue sleeping with a stuffed animal. She smiled and ran down the hallway again. She never knew adults would sleep with stuffed animals before. She then wondered if there were any children there. Perhaps someone to play with when work was done?

She walked into an area with a large table and small pillows on the floor. Perhaps this was the dining room and she could find the kitchen on the other side of the doors. She opened it and low and behold...it was a closet. She sighed and walked back toward the doors spotting the window. She looked outside and gasped. There was a very large garden down below. To bad nothing was blooming, but the air was crisp and cold on Kairi's cheeks. She took a deep breath it smelled so clean.

"Looks like snow clouds are rolling in." Kairi gasped and turned to see Zane leaning over her. She turned back to look at the sky. There were some clouds heading there way that looked heavy. "Hungry?" Zane questioned. As if her stomach had ears of their, own it began to growl.

Laughing, Zane motioned for her to follow him. Kairi walked a few feet behind him. Zane looked over his shoulder motioning to each room telling her what they were and who they belong to. Finally they headed down a dark hallway that had no doors until you get to the double doors in the back.

"This is the throne room. We've turned it into a workout room though. No need for thrones, you know." Zane said and walked inside. There was music playing on speakers over them. Within was Cole and Lloyd. Cole looked up from his workout. Lloyd helped him put the weights back where they belonged as he sats up.

Zane looked on from where he stood as if he were glued there. Kairi looked up at him. His cheeks were a blue color. Cole looked at him from where he sat and wiggled his eyebrows at Zane.

"Like what you see tincan?"

Zane cleared his throat and stood up straight again and motioned for Kairi.

"We were about to go eat breakfast if you were interested?" Zane offered. Cole ran a towel over his face and neck.

"Yeah sure, just let me pull on some not so sweaty clothes."

Kairi looked around the room, there was a large golden chair along one wall. It looked incredibly heavy, which is probably why it was in the room, but there was a black cover over one side. She understood black meant mourning. She had seen it on some people before.

"Guh! Can you two stop being gay for five minutes!" Lloyd yelled. Kairi turned around to see Cole with Zane in his arms. He still hadn't changed out of his sweaty clothing and was walking toward another room. Kairi witnessed them kiss before walking between them.

Lloyd walked over to Kairi and motioned for her to follow him.

"You'd figure they'd listen to their master." He said to Kairi. This caught her off guard. She was informed that Cole was the master.

"Are you my master too?" She asked. Lloyd shook his head and opened a door into the kitchen.

"Nah I'm sort of like an Uncle to you. That is if Cole and Zane adopt you. They'd be like your dads and they're like brothers to me. We're a family here." He motioned to Master Wu. "He's my Uncle Wu."

Master Wu looked up at the girl. His face was very worn, but happy. Kairi picked up the tea pot and refilled his cup before bowing to him again.

"Very kind of you Kairi. Thank you." Wu watched as Kairi walked over to the stove to see that it was heating up. Someone had already put wood under the stove. She walked over to the sink to fill a pot with water and put it onto the stove.

"Children shouldn't be near the stove." Misako said picked her up and put her by Master Wu. "However, you can assist Wu with his tea." This slightly upset Kairi, but she didn't say a word. Actually, she wasn't to sure about this man. He seemed very old and wise, but he also seemed like he was scary in some other ways. But she made sure his tea cup never got empty.

"Good morning!" Cole and Zane walked into the kitchen. Cole's hair was wet and he had fresh clothes on. Perhaps having taken a shower. He sat down next to Kairi and Zane next to him.

"Good morning Master." Kairi greeted.

"Master hum?" Wu questioned.

"I've asked her not to, Master Wu. She's not a slave anymore she can call us by name."

"Oh uh...I told her to call you dad." Lloyd told Cole.

Cole looked a little iffy about that. "I dunno...dad just seems more like something Zane would be called. How about Pop huh?" He looked at Zane.

Zane sat back in his chair so he could see Kairi. She looked deep in thought about this.

"Pop? Is that what you call a master?" She asked them.

"No...that's what we call a parent." Zane offered

"Parent? I do not have one of those. What are they?" She said the last sentence as if trying to hide the question.

"Oh yes that's right. You were created via gene splicing." Zane tapping his chin in thought. "I suppose you didn't have parents."

"A parent is the one who raises you from an infant to adulthood. You are only four years old so you must still be supervised until you are old enough to be on your own." Zane offered. Cole nodded his head put a bowl of rice and in front of Kairi. Kairi smiled, understanding that she did good and that's why she got food. Then there was the other food she had gotten. So much. She wasn't sure she'd be able to eat it all. Fish, egg drop soup, and small salad.

"I think that's a bit much don't you think." Nya asked, walking in with Jay. Jay yawned stretching.

"What do you mean?" Kai asked had been the one to cook most of the food. Clearly upset that his cooking was being denied.

"Well she's been fed bread and water most of her life. This is a b…" Nya looked at Kairi as she ate the fish and looked incredibly happy about it.

"I hope that doesn't mess up her stomach." Cole said watched her take the soup spoon and sip it politely.

"At least she has manners...unlike someone else I know." Master Wu said looking up at Lloyd who had shoveled the fish into his mouth.

"What?"


	4. Chapter 4

**_Authors Notes: New cover art done by tumblrs Tyeler-Kostlan. She also does some for my Zareth AU too. Go check out her art._**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 4_**

 **Swimming**

The old emperor's palace was old and they no longer had servants on the grounds, so they had to do all their laundry themselves. It wasn't too bad, they did it before. They mostly kept one side of the palace to themselves while the rest of it wasn't functional at all. As a matter of fact, the laundry area wasn't even standing thanks to the Sons of Garmadon's attack. So the ninja went back to there, old chores.

Cole and Kairi walked out of the building with baskets in there arms. A wash basin clanked against Cole's hip. They moved together toward the small river on the palace grounds.

"Alright Kairi, have you washed clothes this way before?" Cole asked his charge. Kairi put her basket down next to the waters edge next to Cole's.  
"No sir." She informed him. She looked at the water and then back up at Cole with a bit of concern on her face.

"Alright, what we gotta do is take the bucket and and fill it four times into the basin." He put the basin down in front of her. In front of her and Swung the bucket into the water.

Kairi looked into the bucket and then over at the water itself. Seemed simple enough, this should be easy. She did as Cole did and put the bucket into the water. Her sleeves slid from her elbow down into the water. She gasped and pulled the bucket out again. She sighed. Her sleeve was now soaked. Cole chuckled, rolling up her sleeves. She tried again with the bucket eventually pouring the last three buckets of water in.

"There we go." Cole said. She walked back over to Cole for the next instruction. Cole motioned to the clothes into the water.

"Then we pour the soap flakes in. Only a handful." He held up his hand and sprinkled some in and threw them into the water. "For how small your hands are, you'd probably need two handfuls." He chuckled at the face she made. It smelled weird.

Cole reached in and swirled the soap around to mix it around. Soon enough, there were small soap bubbles coming up from the now murky water. Kairi leaned over to look them. She jumped when there was a loud clanking noise. She glanced up to see a washboard. He picked up one of the shirts and began to rub it against the washboard.

It took a little bit to get all the clothing from the baskets washed. Both of them were freezing, but the clothing needed to be washed. Sitting around in dirty clothing wasn't an option. A bunch of smelly guys in a building all winter long? Kairi shuddered at the thought. All the clothes were placed back into the basket to dry off in a warm room in the house. Which didn't seem like a bad idea actually. Kairi stood up and stretched. She gasped when she felt Cole poke her belly.

"Come on, let's get inside where it's warm." He picked up the baskets, which were now too heavy for her since it was all wet clothing. She picked up the wash basin to empty it. Walking it toward the river, she bent over to pour out the water. With the weight of the basin and the water rushing out displacing the weight. It caused Kairi to fall forward over the basin and into the river.

The loud splash caused Cole to turn around and drop the baskets. Running forward, he saw Kairi floating down stream with the river. Poking his ear he spoke into the Earwig directly.

"Zane! Kairi fell into the river." There was a moment before Zane answered.

"I'm on my way." Zane called after. "We'll have fifteen minutes before her body goes into hypothermic shock."

As Kairi fell into the water, she it felt like she was being punched in the chest. The cold knocked the air right out of her lungs. She tried to cry out, but there wasn't any air to do so. The only thing she could do was gasp for air. When she resurfaced, she spotted Cole running along the bank after her.

"Hang on Kairi."

"Pop!" Oh there it was...she called him Pop. It was official now. She was his daughter. What should he do now?

"I'm on my way." Cole dove in right next to her. Holding her to him, she clung to his chest. Cole tried to stand up but that was impossible. It was far to deep after the snow.

"Look out!" Kairi gasped as they hit a large log floating near them. The wood scraped and cut into them. Cole let out a yell

"Cole!" Zane and Kai ran alongside the river bank.

To Zane, Kairi looked like she was too weak to do anything but drape herself over Coles arm. Zane took out his bow and an arrow with a line attached to it.

"Cole I'm going to shoot you a line." He yelled. Cole looked up at his boyfriend. His lips were so blue, he too was going to succumb to the cold too if something wasn't done soon. Zane shot the line, Cole grabbed for it. Kai cheered watching Zane pull them up.

"Kai get a fire going quickly." He tugged Cole up onto the river bank separating the two and pulling off their clothing.

"Hey!" Kai yelled, avoiding eye contact until Zane put a blanket around both of them.

"I am sorry Kai, but its the best way to get them warm is to take off the cold clothing. Please, the fire needs to be bigger."

"Sorry Zane, a lot of the wood is wet." He said and tried to use his fire element like a flame thrower.

"There we go. Let's get you both warmed up." Zane rubbed their arms to try and get the blood flowing again. It would take a little while to get them completely back to normal. It was going to be a long night.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Authors Notes: I do apologize for the wait, but this is going through a beta reader now thankfully._**

 ** _Please Read and Review!_**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 5_**

 ** _You sure?_**

Cole slowly opened his eyes and looked around the burgundy colored room. He was warm and cold at the same time. His vision was slightly blurry and his head was pounding. He spotted a familiar tuffet of red hair under a thick blanket. Her mouth was slightly opened as she panted. Zane sat on the other side of the futon, putting a cloth onto her forehead. Her cheeks were a rosy color probably from the fever she undoubtedly had. Cole let slip a soft cough that hurt a bit more than he wanted.

Zane crawled over to him. His cold fingers rested on his forehead. Cole tried to speak to Zane, but felt too weak to do so. He looked up at his love apologetically. Zane leaned down and kissed his forehead before looking up at Kairi who was on his other side. One arm resting on the pillow just under her chin, and the other resting gently on his chest. Her forehead against his arm.

"You both look lovely sleeping like that." Zane said to Cole. Cole just looked down at her. Zane's hand gently rested against her tiny forehead. She gasped at the cold fingers against her head. She turned her head and opened her eyes a little. They were sunk in, and she shivered from the movement. She was really weak. Cole turned over wrapping his arms around her curling in a bit more. Kairi looked up at Cole, but lacked the ability to move much more than that.

"Shhhh Kairi, you're safe there. Cole won't let anything happen to you." Zane chuckled and disappeared for a little while. Coming back about an hour later with soup in his hands. Cole sat up pulling Kairi up too.

"Lets try to eat some, huh?" He put a blanket around Kairi's shoulders. Zane put a small tray in front of her. She looked so wobbly.

Zane sat down, picking up the chopsticks, and pulled out the small bite sized dumplings. He blew on it and held it out for Kairi who took a bite and gasped. The look on her face was all Zane needed to know that it was to her liking.

"Its good...and so small." She said through a raspy throat. She tried to clear her throat.

Cole held up a cup of honey lemon tea to her. She sipped it gently before smiling. These were so many flavors that she's never been allowed to try in two days than she's ever tried in her whole life. She took another bite of the dumpling. It tasted like heaven. She leaned back after a few bites and sighed.

"She doesn't eat much though." Zane said trying to get her to eat more.

"She didn't eat everything during dinner the other night either." Cole croaked out. His voice sounded horrible. Kairi sipped the broth a little before curling back up promptly falling right back to sleep.

"Perhaps her belly just cannot accommodate such a helping?" Zane looked down at the now sleeping child. She made a soft squeak and her body jumped.

"Even her with hiccups is adorable." Cole chuckled and picked up her soup downing the rest. " No use wasting it then? He put the bowl on top of his empty one. Zane took the bowls and left the tea.

"Get some rest Cole. Let the medication set in." Zane closed the door. He curled back up around his new daughter and closed his eyes.

A few hours later Cole felt Kairi wasn't beside him anymore. He shot up and looked around the room. She couldn't have gone far could she? He jumped up out of bed and swooned. Falling to his knees and cupped his hands over his mouth. He grabbed the waste bin and threw up into it. He heard the door open and heard a gasp. He slowly looked up to see Kairi walk out of the bathroom before running from the room.

"Dad!" She called.

Kairi ran down the hallway calling for Zane. Looking from room to room. Zane walked out of the commons room and took her into his arms.

"Pop's throwing up." She panted, putting her own head on his shoulder. Zane's pace quickened as he ran down the hallway. He found Cole on the floor panting. He set Kairi down on the floor and motioned for her to get back into bed. Zane leaned down pulling the Earth elemental's arm over his shoulder to help him get up.

"Sorry Tincan, but I had to…" Cole climbed back into bed and Zane held something to his lips. He took a drink and cringed.

"All of it Cole…"

"It tastes like old wet socks." Cole mumbled as he took a drink again.

"And you know how old wet socks taste?" Zane asked with a smile, winking at Kairi who just smiled at the joke.

"Have you tasted my cooking?"

"Ah...yes…" Zane cleared his throat and walked around to Kairi. "Yours too."

Kairi shook her head not wanting to drink it. Zane took some honey and swirled it around into the mix and handed it back to her.

"Try it this way."

"Hey why didn't I get honey with mine?" Cole pouted to Zane. Zane just smiled at him. "Oh you jerk...I know where you sleep." Cole said.

"Yes, you do." Zane took the cup from Kairi. Cole blushed, watching Zane leave the room.

"I will jump out of the bed. You know that right?" Cole pointed at Zane.

"And how did that work out for you the last time?" Zane asked

"Shut up." Cole pouted again

"Good night Kairi. Sweet dreams." He blew her a kiss taking the bin out with him.

"How did you two…?" Kairi asked. Cole chuckled and lay back on the bed looking up at the ceiling.

"Oh lots of little things. I'll name them off to you when he does them. That way you can see what just happened. Playful banter. We've been doing that since day one." He yawned feeling Kairi put her head on his arm and close her eyes. Cole sighed and nodded.

"Night squirt."

"Good night, Pops."


	6. Chapter 6

**_Authors Notes: This one has a bit of a trigger in it. Mentions of child abuse. Only mentions though. Not actual actions of doing so._**

 ** _Please Read and Review_**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 6_**

 ** _Who's Who?_**

Kairi had been living in the palace with the ninja now for a week. Her clothing changed from using Lloyd's to at least wearing some of the old clothing they found that might have belonged to Harumi. At least it fit her. They seemed to follow the same jade color scheme that the royal family used to wear. Made her wonder if Lloyd was a prince or something. They did live in the castle after all.

When all of her chores were done, and there wasn't anything left to do that Zane thought she might need to know in books, she would adventure around looking at the large building. She worked from the top to the bottom. The attic was dusty and had old furniture that was falling apart. The dust made her eyes sting so she didn't spend to much time up there.

The second day she was on the second level which is where the bedrooms were. She stopped as she heard someone singing. She looked within the room. It had been left open a crack. She looked inside seeing Kai singing into a brush. She knew next to nothing about music, but this song was way to loud and it kinda hurt her ears. His room was full of junk. Soda cans on the nightstand and dresser, mixed with old plates that smelled of cheese. Empty hair gel bottles in the corner. Not even in the trash bin which were overflowing by his desk. Let's not even talk about the cloths all over the floor and unmade bed.

It wasn't till a few days later that she was able to put her plan into action. Kai had gone to the market with Nya. She ran upstairs into his room and began to clean it. A few onlookers stopped by to find out what the noise was. She looked at them for a few seconds before going back to what she was doing. Before long she was finished. A healthy mound of trash bags were placed outside the room. The room looked cleaner than it probably had since Kai moved in. She couldn't wait to see how happy he was. He was what they called her uncle now and she wanted to make them all happy. This was the only way she knew how.

Kai spotted the bags beside his room. He walked in and screamed loud. That was not the reaction Kairi was hoping to hear. He turned to look at her the anger in his eyes. She turned and ran down the hallway, away from the very angry fire elemental. She could hear him arguing very heatedly with Zane.

It wasn't till close to one in the morning that they found her. Lloyd wouldn't have been able to find her if he hadn't heard a soft sniffle. She was hiding under one of the tables in a dark corner of the library. It was a very small table with a table cloth over it, so she couldn't have been seen otherwise. He turned and sat down next to the table.

"You know...when I first joined the team I was about 10 years old. The son of Lord Garmadon, no chance at being anything other then a warlord's son. I was determined to be just like him." The table cloth moved a little as if she was trying to push herself back against the wall more.

"I was bad...got into trouble. Did some horrible things. Even let the snakes clans out of there prison eventually setting this huge snake on the city." He hugged his legs. He could hear her sniffling again.

"What did you do?" Her little voice asked. It was almost inaudible from where he sat so close to her.

"Took responsibility for my actions...and helped them defeat it." He didn't tell her the part that Garmadon was the one to defeat the snake. That would have been a horrible idea yet. She lifted the table up to look at him.

"I just wanted to help." She sniffled leaning against Lloyd. He put his arm around her and picked her up.

"Yeah, but Kai likes his stink where he throws it. Its a Controlled Chaos." Lloyd said stood up. The walk back to Kai's room was the longest in Kairi's memory.

Kai looked around as he heard Lloyd come up. The anger still on his face. She hid in Lloyd's shoulder. He set her down and she looked at the floor. She slowly brought her wrists up. Kai looked baffled by this, but when the cloth fell away from them did it become clear. Old scars from where she had been hit before were very visible. Kai looked at Lloyd with extreme surprise. She thought he was going to hit her.

Every bit of anger drained from Kai as he understood her reasons for running away. It meant pain would be inflicted on her and she didn't know why. She had done her job, she had cleaned like she was taught to. Why was someone mad at her? What was going on?

Kairi flinched when she felt someone touch her. She opened her eyes to see Kai's fingers run over her wrists. She looked from her wrists to his large brown eyes.

"I'd never get this mad at you. I'll never hurt you. I'm a hot head...but never. Never like this." He picked her up and held her close.

Cole came running around the corner skidding to a stop thinking that his daughter was probably about to endure one of Kai's meltdowns. What he saw was not at all what he expected.

Zane, hot on his heels saw the same thing. Kai holding their daughter tightly. They weren't sure what had happened. But they were sure they'd find out eventually.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Authors Notes: Things should start to get interesting from here on out._**

 ** _Beta Read by: Ceata88_**

 ** _Please Read and Review!_**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 7_**

 ** _What is...Babysitting?_**

Kairi opened her eyes to the sun starting to peek through her window. Someone had opened them again. She never knew who it was that did it. She slowly sat up and stretched. The air smelled crisp and clean, and this caused her to look out the window. The garden was left in a blanket of white. Down the pathway was her dad with a snow shovel. His silver skin changed into an orange hue because of the morning sun.

"Good morning, dad!" She called down. He looked up shielding his eyes with his hand.

"Good morning Kairi, did you have pleasant dreams?" He asked fondly. Kairi put her head in her hands and nodded.

"It was about a large banquet, with lots of different foods, desserts, and things. It was so much fun." It was a very nice dream indeed. Coming from a young girl who didn't have much to begin with.

"That sounds like a ball." Kai said using his fire to melt the snow piles. "Did you wear a pretty dress?" He called up to her. Kairi had long since decided never to step foot back into Kai's room ever again. Just too much of a chance that she'd get into trouble again. She didn't want that to happen. Once was enough.

"It was a long green one." She said and jumped when cold hands were pressed into the small of her back. She turned and looked up to see Jay who ran down the hallway laughing. Kairi gave chase giggling as she went.

If there was one thing that was for certain. Jay was her playmate. He taught her how to play video games, make a snowman, pull pranks, and even how to skip rocks when no one was looking. She loved to play with him, and it looked like today might be one of those days.

"Are you going to be alright going into town alone?" Lloyd asked his mother. Misako smiled down at Kairi who ran up and hugged her.

"I won't be alone. Dareth's coming too. He's got stuff to buy at the grocery store and offered to help me out with mine. I've got to get Kairi some new socks, all the ones she has aren't holding up to her and her running around." Misako said patted Kairi's head  
Hey'a there Button." Dareth said looked down at the young girl. She gasped and jumped behind Lloyd. Dareth's heart seemed to melt at the sight of her. "Daww you're adorable." He said, looking up at Ronin who didn't seem to notice. He just leaned against the tree and poked at his arm. It had been bugging him lately.

"Yeah babe, adorable. Let's head out. The sooner we can get this done the sooner we can get back to work." He turned around and walked off. Dareth waved at Kairi who waved back.

"That's Dareth, in the brown, and Ronin with the red hat." Lloyd said

"They like my dads?" Kairi asked

"Yes they are." Lloyd picked her up, nodding his head, and looked around

"Jay!" Jay peeked out of the tv room, a controller in hand. "Need you to babysit."

"Babysit? Who?" Jay looked around and then up at Lloyd. "Dude...I haven't had to babysit you in years, What's going on?" Jay joked. Kairi ,however, was confused by this when Jay plucked her from Lloyd's arms.

"I am no baby, you do not need to sit on me." She said looked a little amazed by this. Lloyd laughed glanced at Cole and Zane as they walked around the corner followed by Nya and Kai.

"It'll be good training for you." Cole joked kissed Kairi's cheek. She hid in Jay's shoulder.

"What is this shy streak?" Zane asked. Kairi looked up at him and shook her head.

"Where ever it came from...it's adorable." Cole said "Be good, sweet pea." Jay laughed.

"Nah we're going to have a few parties, eat all the food, watch some junk tv...you know...Uncle Jay and Kairi kinda day." He put her on his shoulders.

"Are we really Uncle Jay?" She asked. Jay smiled.

"Of course I wasn't joking...it'll just be a party between the two of us, I'll order us some pizza, and we can watch tv." Tv was a new concept to Kairi. She hadn't been allowed to watch tv at all before. There was a detective show she saw once while she was cleaning a room once a long time ago, but she couldn't remember what it was.

"Pi...zza?" She asked. Jay gasped and put her on the floor.

"Don't tell me...you've never had pizza?" Jay was ecstatic. He put his hand on Kairi and pointed at her. "I have got to fix that...and fast." He pulled out his phone and started to talk fast.

"I need a triple cheese with everything on it except the little fishies. It's an emergency! There's a kid here that's never had pizza." He sounded genuinely appalled that she'd never had one before. She heard someone on the phone talk fast and then hang up the phone. "Alright...now for the flicks." He walked into the room and sat down patting the spot next to him. She flopped down and pulled up a blanket.

If they had been looking a little to the left, they might have noticed the shadows moving around them.

Jay's burp echoed down the hallway. Kairi giggled trying to do it too, but it wasn't much of an attempt. Jay just chuckled and took another drink of his soda.

"Nice try kiddo. You gotta learn to project though." He sat back, watching the ponies run across the screen. He wasn't too sure about this movie, but then again he did it just for her anyways. He wanted to watch King Kong, but it looked too scary for her. She was only four years old. He stretched and yawned.

"Alright let's clean this up. They'll be back soon and we did say we'd clean up after our party." The credits left the room in a soft glow.

Jay picked up the pizza box and the empty soda cans before going toward the kitchen. Kairi grabbed up the napkins and her own can before following. She felt so full she could have popped. Jay looked like he'd almost eat the box if he could when they first started off. There was so much cheese it nearly glued her mouth shut.

There was a soft click of the front door. Kairi ran from the room thinking her parents were home. But she backed up into the kitchen again and took Jay's hand.

"Good afternoon Mr. Walker." The man walked into the kitchen, and looked down at her. She knew who he was. It was the man who sold her to Cole. "I am the man who owned her before." Jay didn't want to hear that. He pushed Kairi into the pantry.

"Stay there squirt...don't come out till I tell you to." He said.

It took a few moments before Kairi heard the loud noises and banging all around the kitchen. Something hit the door and slid down. There was a bright light and something that sounded like nails scratching vinyl. There was a lot of yelling and screaming and then things grew silent. The door to the pantry opened slowly. Kairi looked outside the room. There was a man laying on the other side of the pantry door which must have been what hit the door.

"Uncle Jay?"

"You mean him?" The man asked motioning to Jay laying against the wall.

"Jay!" Kairi gasped reached for him. She was picked up by her arm forcefully swung over his shoulder.

"Bring him...we can use him for leverage." Jay was thrown over another guys shoulder. Someone who had large blue gloves on. Kairi hated this...where were her parents?


	8. Chapter 8

**_!Trigger Warning!_**

 ** _From here on out their maybe mentions of beating people of any age! So their is some abuse!_**

 ** _Please Read and Review_**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 8_**

 ** _Heart Break_**

Cole walked back into the house, shaking his jacket off. Little droplets of water rained down onto the walkway. He could hear the tv blaring loudly as usual. He turned to smile at Zane who called out for his daughter. They had a gift for her. Something to show that they loved her. Her first real present from her parents.

Cole had announced a few days before that Kairi didn't have any toys, or at least something to comfort her, so a toy that would provide this would be a great 'welcome to the family' present. So, in Zane's arms was a small stuffed white cat with a powder blue bow.

Kairi didn't peek out of the room like normal. Jay didn't come charging into the room announcing loudly of there exploits either.

"Perhaps they fell asleep?" Zane whispered. That had happened before so it wasn't too odd. Cole looked into the room his eyes weaving over the empty room. The pizza box was opened wide and not cleaned. That was very much like Jay, but not Kairi. She would have cleaned up after Jay.

"Kairi!?" Cole called out louder this time. Zane walked forward, checking inside her room. Perhaps she was just looking through the books he told her to. She did have assignments to do. It wasn't much, but Zane was teaching her letters, numbers, and colors.

The little girl however was nowhere near the library, moreover it looked as if her books hadn't been touched. Zane turned to Cole, he shook his head at a loss. Both men scattered calling for Jay and Kairi. After about ten minutes of searching, Zane called from the kitchen. Cole ran in skidding to a stop at the huge mess of broken cabinets, messed up drawers, and scorch marks. This was a war zone. Coles heart dropped to the floor.

"Cole there's a note." Zane held up the letter.

 _Good Evening Ninja,_

 _I do apologize that our services a few months ago wasn't to your liking. If you would please meet with us in our place of further employment in a week we will be very happy to return what is yours. Although they might not be how you left them._

 _Most Professionally Yours,_

 _Dr. Marius Brill_

There was a map posted on the fridge with a small spot circled. Cole looked back up at Zane who seemed to be afraid. He knew how he felt.

"Don't worry babe, we'll get her back." He pulled his boyfriend into a hug kissing his hairline. "I promise."

* * *

Jays eyes opened. His head hurt like someone had stomped on it a few times. Trying to remember why it hurt, and why he was sleeping on the stoned ground was making his head hurt worse. He looked around the room. There was just a bucket, a small cot and what looked like a bundle of blankets. He groaned, he hated being imprisoned.

The last time this happened he was in a different realm that stunk of sweat and mud. He let out a sigh, rubbing his head. His fingers ran over a bloody bump which resulted in him wincing with pain.

The soft tender fingers that ran along his hand told him he wasn't alone. He opened his eyes to see Kairi standing over him wearing the blankets that had been piled onto the bed. She must have been hiding under them.

"Hey there short sheet. You okay?" He asked. She didn't say anything she just shook her head. Jay pulled her to him, her shout of pain was what he heard. He turned her around gently. What he saw caused his stomach to lurch. Whip marks old and brand new. There were plenty of scars adorning her back, and brand new bloody lines that had to have been hours old. They whipped her while he was unconscious.

His hands fell to his lap. His sour eyes looked upon her as she just looked at the cold and dusty floor.

"I'm so sorry. I should have done something." Jay said Kairi leaned back her eyes looking up at him.

"What could you have done? You tried so hard to protect me at the palace." Her tender voice said.

"Anything." He said.

"Good morning!" There was a loud boisterous voice from behind them. Kairi stood up and bowed to the man. "Ah I see that you are still well mannered, and these...ninja didn't harm you. Poor thing. If I had known that you were ninja I wouldn't have ever allowed for one of my prized children to go with you. I would have given someone a bit more...thick skinned."

"She's no slave!" Jay yelled standing up reaching through the bars to grab the man's silk jacket, missing. The well dressed man ran his hands down his jacket and cleared his throat.

"Oh...but she is. She was birthed to us by a slave, she was born a slave, she was trained as a slave, she will continue to be a slave."

"She was adopted by Cole and Zane."

"Cole and Zane...and who may I ask are they?"

"The black and titanium ninja." Jay growled out. Two grizzly looking men walked down the stairs and smiled at Jay. They were incredibly huge, and could very well throw him across a football field if they wanted.

"Oh...they're gay hum?"

"What's that got to do with it?" Jay backed away from the door.

"The letter has been given to them. Until they come to save you, neither of you will be allowed to sleep. At all. Good day." He walked back up the stairs.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Authors Notes: The best thing you can do for an author is to comment. Doesn't have to be a big thing. Even a small :D would be awesome. Just to let me know you like it._**

 ** _Please read and review_**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 9_**

 ** _Food_**

Loud music shook the bars on the doors. Jay sat on the cot with Kairi in his arms. Neither could sleep that night. They both tried so hard, but the cold of the room coupled with the loud music didn't help any. She looked up at Jay who looked like he was drifting off. Her eyes fluttered closed too. Both seemed to finally be falling asleep when someone hit the bars.

"Hey! No sleepin. Boss says so." It was one of the hefty men. The door was opened and bread was put down on the floor along with a pitcher of water. Jay's hold on Kairi became painful to her as they watched the man walk around the room. Probably looking for weapons that might have been hidden or made.

The guy walked back out the door and chained it up again.

"Geez. You don't suppose they went broke trying to feed us, do you?" Jay asked poking the bread. Kairi smiled at his attempt at a joke.

She crawled down from the bed and onto the floor. He broke the bread down the middle and handed her half. At least the middle was still nice and warm. It would feel good to eat something. He took a bite and sighed.

"Just like I thought...tastes like cardboard." He said, continued to eat it. He was glad they ate a lot of that pizza, or they'd still be hungry now. He looked down at the little girl who ate slowly. The bread made her gums hurt. She gasped and pulled something out of her mouth and looked at it. She began to panic.

"Uncle Jay...my tooth." She held it up. Jay chuckled and took it from her.

"Hey, why didn't you tell me your tooth was loose?" He asked. Kairi looked at him for a second and then pointed at her tooth.

"You mean that's normal?" It must have been her first time losing a tooth. Jay could remember the first time he lost a tooth.

"Of course it is. I lost my first tooth in my dad's workshop eating an apple." He chuckled pointing to his bottom tooth. "Dad was ecstatic and then called to tell mom." He sat back against the cot. Kairi looked at herself in the chrome bars. She sighed and shook her head.

"Ugly." She whispered, hoping Jay didn't hear her.

"Who says?" Jays loud voice echoed in the room. He obviously didn't like what she said. She glanced up at him crouched down to look at her. "Kairi...you're still a baby. You're still growing into who you're going to be. The rest of the stuff comes later on. But I can see you...your dads are going to be beating the boys off with their weapons. Plus the rest of us. You'll be gorgeous." He told her. She blushed and looked away. "So don't think about it anymore...alright? I'll fight anyone that says otherwise."

Music began to blare in the next room again. He growled and kicked the bars.

"Do you mind! I'm trying to have a heart to heart with my little niece if you don't mind!" He yelled, turning to look at Kairi who giggled at him. At least they were in higher spirits again. It felt good to just laugh, even just a little.

(0)

Zane sat on Kairi's bed. Her stuffed cat lay on the rocking chair by the window. Her pillow clutched to his chest. He wasn't even aware when Pixal walked into the room. Her suit clanking as she moved. She sat down on the bed next to him and put her head on his shoulder.

"Lloyd says we move out within the hour. We know where they are there is no need to wait a week." She told him. He just nodded his head slowly.

"I am...breaking." He told Pixal. Pixal looked at him and scanned him too.

"I can not see any breaks within any of your chassis pieces Zane. Specify?" She asked him. Zane tried to look for a better way to explain it. He looked up at her and sighed. "When she isn't in mine and

Cole's arms...we feel...not whole." He told her. Now that made plenty of sense. Pixal nodded her head and looked at the small cat on the chair.

"Yes...it does seem that way...doesn't it?" She glanced at Cole in the doorway. "But it won't be that way forever, brother mine." She patted his shoulder before leaving the room with a brief nod to Cole.

Cole picked up the stuffed animal on his way over to Zane.

"You know, we should have just gotten her a real cat. Nya said she saw a mouse in the kitchen." Cole chuckled trying to stay level headed about things. Zane could tell he had been crying not to long ago. He took Zane's hand in his and kissed it. "Babe listen...we're heading out soon I…" Zane stood, pulling out of Coles arms, and picked up Kairi's bag.

"I should pack her a few things, just in case she needs warmer clothing." He said. It was obvious he was trying to stay busy. Although it was true they should bring her something, Zane's hands were shaking so bad. Cole grabbed them and turned him around.

"I am going to personally smash every single one of there faces in myself if they heart our baby girl, Zane...I promise."


	10. Chapter 10

**_Authors Notes: I think I fixed my computer yay...Maybe lol_**

 ** _Please read and review._**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 10_**

 ** _Judging_**

Sweat dripped down his face as he lay there against the stone wall. That, at least, was cool. Kairi lay sprawled on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. She used her hand to fan herself. Trying their best to keep whatever water they had on the table near them. Just one pitcher a day, and they were dying of thirst like it was summer.

"Kairi...I don't think we're in a normal castle...it was cold a few days ago." He told her. She honestly had no clue what he meant by that. Since when do places move? She turned her head toward him. He laughed and looked at her. "Stupid huh?" He knew places could move, but how to explain it to a child, he wondered? It was a little too hard to do, or rather he was too tired to think of a way. So he just lay there, staring up at the ceiling.

He was pretty sure he nodded off for a second, so when the door slammed open and water was poured onto him and Kairi he jumped awake and looked around. She scrambled over to him, hiding in his arms. Her red hair stuck to her face.

"Oh pardon us. I wasn't aware you were sleeping...like you weren't supposed to be." The guard said and laughed. "You stink anyways. Needed a bath." He walked over to their water and and poured it onto the floor.

"Hey!" Jay yelled. He put Kairi down on their now wet bed.

"Sorry I got you into this, Uncle Jay." She said to him. He shook his head trying to deter her from blaming herself and crying. She needed to keep whatever water she had in her. Although he felt like crying as well.

"Oh don't worry princess...I'm trying to think of a way to get us out of this." He said looking up at the guard who peeked in and narrowed his eyes.

Jay stood up and walked over to the bars. "Got a problem with me guard boy?" 'oh yeah, that was a great come back', he thought and looked around at Kairi. Kairi screamed as a leather strap was thrown over Jay's head and tightened around his neck.

"Yeah, I do got a problem with you!" Jay was lifted off his feet and held there. His legs started to kick trying to get at the guy behind him. His fingers raking over the leather strap. "I could be at home doing other things, but no I gotta be here looking out for you and this kid." He growled.

Jay could see Kairi screaming and crying for the man to let Jay go. His movements were slowing down. His eyes rolled and he passed out.

"Let him go Hoover...that's enough. I don't want him dead after all. Just a little roughed up before his little band of brothers comes looking for him." It was him again. Kairi stepped back watched Jay fall to the floor. She looked him over as he took gulp after gulp of air trying to fill his lungs and stop his head from spinning. His eyes cracked open, looking at Kairi as she was pulled from the room by her hair. He could still see her screaming for him. It really pissed him off so much, but he couldn't move. He could hardly breath, the haziness of his sight told him the whole story. He was about to pass out and he wouldn't be able to go after Kairi. He couldn't stop himself as he fell into the soft abyss that had been taken from him for four days now.

(0)

Zane walked back and forth in the room. He wasn't holding together well and he was sure that neither was Cole. His boyfriend stood there near the bow of the ship as the sun sank on another day. They had gone to the coordinates that was given to them and they couldn't see a building or even a structure anywhere that could be used as a stronghold. Actually, they could only see sand. Lots and lots of sand. The wastes were all they could see. Zane walked over to Cole and ran his hands down his large arms in a soothing way, even though he knew it wouldn't help.

"Where are they?" Zane asked trying to feel something...anything...his heart just told them to keep going. She was there somewhere, but they knew the Bounty wouldn't make it across the wastes without some more water. So they were going back toward the nearest area that had enough water for them. It would take another day and a half to get back. Zane hated this, he hated it so much that it hurt him. He balled up his fists and hit a practice dummy. It flew over the side of the ship out of sight.

"I know...I feel like I want to punch something too." Cole said, amazed at Zane hitting the dummy. He was normally the picture of patience, and calm, but today-just like himself-they were both at the edge of that rope.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Authors Notes: Finally got around to making this chapter. You're welcome._**

 ** _Please read and review_**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 11_**

 ** _New found friend_**

Kairi screamed and kicked at the man holding her. She even bit down hard on his shoulder. Which is why the guard grabbed hold of her neck and squeezed down hard till her eyes rolled. When she opened her eyes again a door was opened.

Within said room was a desk, lots of books, a fan, and a chain at the back half of the room. She was dropped on the floor next to the chain and lay her there for a moment trying to catch her breath. She turned her head and gasped. In the corner, on the other end of the chain, was a bronze nindroid who looked just like her father, Zane.

When the nindroid noticed her he recoiled and tried to push himself deeper into the corner. Which was impossible since he was literally already pushed into the corner.

"Oh you noticed my pet?" The man smiled down at her. "Found him in a lighthouse not to far from Ninjago City."

"Why is he chained up?" The young girl asked. Dr. Brill growled and slapped the young girl.

"Silence! I can see you're going to need to be disciplined!" He looked down at her with a sigh. He had sent her reeling to the floor. She lay there unmoving. Blood sliding down her cheek. He tapped his foot on the floor. "So tell me, girl, what have you learned from these ninja?" He kneeled down to look over her and ran his fingers through her hair. "What are their daily routines?" He asked. Kairi looked up at him and shook her head.

"You do not know...or you won't tell?" He narrowed his eyes down at her.

"Not...telling you." She spat at him. He ran a handkerchief down his lapel and sighed.

"Burn her feet." He told the guard before leaving the room. Kairi gasped and fought with the men. One went over to the fireplace and grabbed a poker from the fire. Dr. Brill's brand was etched onto it. Kairi's screams echoed throughout the hallway.

Jay could hear her. He shook the bars yelling for them to stop. His head hurt from earlier, but they wouldn't let him sleep, even if he passed out. The guard brought over smelling salts and forced him to wake up.

He ran at the steel bars trying to bend them, break the wall around it, do something. Yet he couldn't. It just resulted in a bruised hip and shoulder. He glared daggers at the two men who walked by after the screaming stopped.

"I will end you…" He said through gritted teeth.

"Empty threats from a caged blue jay." They both laughed at Dr. Brills words as he walked up toward the guards. The satisfied look on his face. He even seemed to laugh a little. "Why do you even care? She's not yours." He shrugged his shoulders at the blue ninja who tried to reach through the bars to grab at him.

"She belongs to us! Our family's coming...and there won't be anything left of you." He growled, and tried to use his lightning on them only for it to fizzle out.

"Vengesteel…Spared no expense for your...comfort." He laughed as he walking back down the hallway.

Kairi felt someone's fingers around her ankle. She slowly opened her eyes to see the person who had them. It was the bronze nindroid who had a bucket on one side and bandages on the other side. He dabbed at her feet with the cool water. She watched him for a moment, his movements weren't fluid like her dad's. It was more like a ticking noise.

He wore off-white pants that looked like the should have been curtains at one point. He probably crafted them himself because she was never given clothing either when she was there captive. She had to make hers herself.

"Are you a nindroid?" She asked. This startled him and he jumped and went back to his corner. She sat up looking around. "It's okay, I won't hurt you. I was adopted by a nindroid." The bronze eyes locked onto hers. He shook his head and spoke very low and shaky.

"No one gets adopted here. There's only us."

"Not always, they'll come. They'll save us."

"Fantasy's miss...it's all just fantasy." He said running his fingers over his chest. There were pieces missing. Even the door seemed to be missing.

"My names Kairi. What's yours?" She looked down at the bandages. There was a tiny bow on each. She smiled.

"I'm...Zane...but someone long ago renamed me. I think... someone named me...Echo."


	12. Chapter 12

**_Authors Notes: Sorry had some difficulties with this chapter and my laptop. They didn't wanna agree._**

 ** _Please read and review!_**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 12_**

 ** _Sea of Sand_**

Cole cupped his hands on his forehead so he could see across the sands. It was so hot and muggy out there. He was sure he had already sweat a bucket full as soon as he came outside in the mess. He felt someone's cold hand on his back and it felt great. He turned to see Zane. "We're almost to the meeting point." Zane told him. "Just there." They came around a dune to see what looked like a huge airship.

"It's a zeppelin!" Lloyd exclaimed from the wheelhouse where he was positioned with Nya. Nya put the telescope up to her eye.

"How did they get that huge castle to float like that?" She asked. Lloyd shook his head.

"No idea. Hey Kai! Anything?" He called up to the crows nest.

Kai growled.

"Nothing. No sign of movement at all." He jumped and landed on his backside as a cannon fired. "Warning shot?!" Kai cleared his throat trying to pretend it didn't affect him.

"No...they're just sitting there." Cole said narrowed his eyes.

"There...on the left side. There's someone flagging us down." Nya said folding the telescope back up again.

"What are they doing?" Cole asked looking at Zane. He shook his head unsure.

"This whole meeting is a bad idea on their part. Why would they want to meet us in the first place? It's almost like they wanted us here." Lloyd walked down the ladder to stand next to them.

"It doesn't matter. We're here to get Kairi and Jay back." Nya said pocketing the telescope.

Lining the Bounty beside the huge Zeppelin, Lloyd walked off first to greet the man that commanded the castle.

"Good Afternoon! I'm Lord Wright." The man had slicked back blond hair, flashy mustache, white suit, and smelled like he took a bath in aftershave, then dove into more just to rinse the previous aftershave off. Nya pulled out a fan just to hide her face from the smell. "Ah my lady. I wasn't aware there were girls among the ninja."

Kai stepped in front of Lord Wright.

"She is a guarded secret and you have her boyfriend. So if you'll be so kind to release him as well as our niece we'll be on our way and there won't be any further problems." Kai glared at the man who just smiled showing those beautiful bright white teeth.

"Of course. This was all a huge misunderstanding, of course. We weren't aware that you were the famous ninja that saved us. Actually, we thought you were just a bunch of nindroids. Oh no offense, Mr. Titanium ninja." The man looked at Zane. Cole saw the way the man looked at him. Zane just kept walking, but fit his hand into Cole's. An unspoken tell tell for the man. 'I am taken' without actually saying anything.

The walls within the castle were mother of pearl, and gold. Everything seemed like it was created by sparing no expense. Everything was beautiful. They were placed into a room with a few comfy couches.

Cole growled looking at it all. His eyes even looked up at the tv in the corner playing a cooking show.

"They could afford all this stuff, yet when Kairi was brought to us she was wearing a potato sack, dirty from head to toe." Cole looked over the many paintings on the walls of wildlife.

"How deplorable." Zane said looked up at his love. Cole nodded his head.

"She'll be fine Zane…" Cole stepped over to him placing his forehead to his.

"Good afternoon!" It was the creepy guy from the auction that sold Kairi to Cole. His oily features written all over the tv sets.

"Wheres Jay and Kairi!" Cole didn't waste any time. The man chuckled.

"It's understandable that you're busy. Saving the city and all that, but that's why I just had to take the opportunity. You see...your little stunt at the auction took a lot of money from me. Millions of dollars you see. The least you can do is give us a show." Dr. Brill said from the safety of his office. "You see...it's not like you have a choice. If you don't play our little game you will die, and so will they." On the screens around the room they could see Jay laying on the floor. Having just been recently beat up. The other screen was a recording of Kairi having her feet burned. The horrified look on the ninja's face told them that they were in very real trouble now. This was all planned out at their expense. They were pawns in there little game and they had no choice but to play.

"Fine..we'll play your game. But you have to promise that you'll free them once we're done!" Lloyd said pointing to the screens.

"Deal." The lights went out all around them...and they fell.


	13. Chapter 13

**_Authors Notes: From here on out theirs going to be a lot of damage. Just be ready for it._**

 ** _***Trigger Warning: Pain, harm, torture***_**

 ** _Please Read and Review_**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 13_**

 ** _Labyrinth_**

The sudden feeling of weightlessness overtook them. They couldn't have fallen too far, but the room was pretty dark eve with torches on every corner and that was it. The hallways before the torches looked dark and mysterious. That was where Lloyd imagined they'd need to go.

Lloyd turned over to look at the two sitting with him. Cole and Nya. He jumped up, realizing the others must have fallen into different areas of the maze.

"Kai! Zane!" The echo made the room sound vast. The animals throughout the maze, that called after that sounded all but cute and cuddly. He shrunk back looking at his two friends. Cole shook his head.

"This is dangerous." He whispered. Nya nursed a bruised wrist. She had landed on it on the way down.

"You okay?" Lloyd asked. Cole took hold of Nya's hand running his fingers over the large bruise coming up quickly.

"Yeah just smarts a little." She lied. Of course it hurt, they fell pretty hard. She watched Lloyd pull his sash from his Gi and tie it around her wrist and then around her neck for a sling.

"There...how's that?" He asked her. The look of relief on her face was what he got.

"I donno if green's my color." She told him playfully.

"Well it'll have to do for now. At least till we get out of here."

(0)

Zane had no problem landing on his feet upon reaching the bottom. His companion not so much. Kai landed hard on his hip, which resulted in him screaming pretty loudly, saying a few choice words mostly only adults would say, and then just sitting there like the grump he was. All the while, Zane scanned the area looking for any sign of the others.

"It's moments like these I really miss Pixal." He said to no one. He heard Kai chuckle and look up at him from his grumpy spot on the ground.

"Uh oh...is this you regretting breaking it off with her and going out with Cole instead?" Kai asked. Zane rolled his optics before looking back at the three options that they were given.

"No Kai, I'm just saying that I wish I had her radar. It was far more superior than my own." He said watching as Kai walked down one of the options.

Zane dropped a button on the ground at the opening that way they at least knew they went down this way before.

Kai stopped not to far from them. His eyes watching what looked like a large machine.

"What's that?" He asked Zane shook his head.

Light

They were cascaded in it. Headlights from one of the vehicles turned on. Its tired squealed as it sped toward them from a stopped position. Too fast. Kai pushed Zane to the side and was hit. He rolled over the top of the vehicle and slammed hard on the cold stone floor.

"Kai!" Zane exclaimed running over to his fallen friend. Zane scanned him. Luckily it wasn't to bad. No broken bones, but there were plenty of cuts, scrapes, and large bruises. Specially one on his forehead.

The lights returned. The vehicle turned around and went for them again. He needed to protect his friend. Snatching an arrow from its quiver he pulled the bowstring back and fired. It punctured the radiator and into the engine. It spat and sputtered to a stop.

"You are just like any other car aren't you? Can not work without your radiator or alternator." He said bending down to pick up Kai. "Come Kai...I must find a place where you will be safe to address your cranel wound." Zane walked into one of the corners where he was sure the large prows of the machines couldn't get to them.


	14. Chapter 14

**_Authors Notes: Sorry I'm having difficulties getting these chapters out. Just found myself to be homeless after our apartment building was found uninhabitable and then condemned. So yeah theirs that._**

 ** _Please Read and Review_**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 14_**

 ** _Hunger_**

The lights were dimmed in the room. All of the people within the Zeppelin was in another room watching something they called 'last man standing.' Echo slowly stood up and reached onto the desk where there was a large fruit basket filled with apples and oranges. It took a bit of effort, but he was able to plucked up a single apple and bit into it. Quickly eating half he handed the rest to Kairi who ate it including the core.

"What do you suppose they're doing?" Kairi quickly wiped her mouth on her sleeve. Echo curled up into a ball.

"They bet on who's going to be the last man standing in the maze. It's how I'm here. I'm a champion of the previous one. My gift...life. But it's a life only a fool would hold. But it was this...or death." Echo said let Kairi curl up next to him. It was getting cold within the room.

"Why do people do these things Echo?" She yawned.

"Greed. Humans...are that way. Money is what they want and they want to use said money to buy things they don't need. Then they want more money to do the same as before. Buy things...but they've already bought as much as they can hold in their pockets. They need people to hold the rest. That is why they began to create slaves." He ran his fingers over her head. Kairi looked down at him. "You said your father is a nindroid?" Kairi yawned again taking his hand in hers.

Echo looked at her almost lovingly. "Yes...he is."

"Is he nice?" He asked. Kairi thought about it.

"He's strict with me when I don't do what I'm supposed to. Like my chores or study. But that's expected. I'll get lazy and my own home will look horrible and I'll be stupid one day if I don't. But even after he scolds me he picks me up and doesn't hurt me. He just...wants what's best." Echo yawned closing his optics.

"I don't remember my father. I remember the smell of the ocean and that's all I really remember of my childhood." He said putting his head on her legs.

"Oh...isn't that adorable?" They both jumped and looked around as the lights came back on. Echo held Kairi close to his chest. He wasn't sure why he felt a connection with this young girl. Perhaps it was in his programming to protect, or perhaps he knew the only other nindroid was his brother. This was his baby girl. He would protect her.

"It's time Echo...time for you to...suit up." Dr. Brill walked over and snatched him up from the floor. Kairi fell to her hands and knees.

"I'll come back for you...I promise."

"You won't even remember she exists when we're finished with you." The door closed with a loud snap. Kairi was left in the room alone. She pushed herself into the corner covering her ears as she could hear Echo's cries as they tortured him. It was close to dawn when she realized who walked out of the room. Steam coming off the red and black armor that he wore.

"E...Echo?" She stood up touching his hand. He turned to look down at her. His bronze eyes now red. He slapped her hand from his.

"He's no longer Echo. Hum...he needs a better name. How about...Mr...E." Dr. Brill smiled at his newest creation.

"What did you do to him?"

"Given him a purpose to me." Brill laughed. Kairi charged at Dr. Brill. Mr. E grabbed her by the hair and threw her into the corner.

She felt dazed. What did she do? What should she do? She watched as Mr. E walked out of the room in a fluctuation of colors as she dizzily stood there.

"Please…"

(0)

Cole ran along with Nya, Lloyd thrown over his arm. Red liquid flowed through an injury to his side. A machine raced behind them with blades attached to springs flopping all over its body.

"Lloyd what the hell made you think using Spinjitzu on that thing would work!" Cole yelled. No answer. of course. There leader was out cold and in horrible condition.

"There!" Nya ran at what looked like a tiger pit.

"It can't get over that!" Both Cole and Nya used airjitzu to jump over the pit. The machine fell right into their trap, making grinding noises as the buzz saw hit the spikes inside.

"How's he doing?" Nya asked as Cole put Lloyd down on the floor.

"Not so good." Cole said ran his fingers over Lloyds sweaty forehead.

"We need to find a place to stop for the night and let him rest."

"The other side of this pit is fine we can just keep clear of that thing." They walked around the other side of what looked like rails for a railroad track.

"Here we go Lloyd...let's get you to sleep." Cole said taking off his hood and placed it onto his forehead. He curled up beside Lloyd and Nya curled up on his other side.

(0)

Zane and Kai lay on a small mound of leaves on the other side of what appeared to be a broken down machine that had just attacked them. But this ones treds were messed up and there were swords sticking out of it. Zane wasn't sleeping but he was in a power down mode to conserve energy. The lights above them dimmed telling him that either the others were trying to sleep too, or they were dead. He pulled Kai in tighter. It was going to be an interesting night. His optics dimmed and he too tried to get some sleep.

Red eyes watched him from behind another machine.


	15. Chapter 15

**_Authors Notes: Yay! finally got around to making this chapter with all thats been going on. Hope its okay_**

 ** _I know have a wattpad under the same username as here._**

 ** _Please read and review_**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 15_**

 ** _In tuned_**

Fear, lots and lots of fear drown him in his mind as they cut into him. Pushed out his emotions until he could no longer feel fear, of hatred, or love...emotions were just a memory. One like all the others that were pushed aside and as quickly dismissed.

Echo stood in front of a mirror wearing leather clothing. His optics were a sparkling red color. On the table sat a biker type helmet.

"Go into the maze. Your revenge is almost complete." An uncontrollable desire to destroy Zane filled him up like a tidal wave. He walked from the room.

"E...Echo?" Who was this...thing. It wasn't his brother so he didn't care. She touched his hand and he looked down at the bright eyes of the young red head before him. He slapped her hand away from his. He didn't need her.

"He's no longer Echo. Hum...he needs a better name. How about...Mr...E." His master smiled, looking him in the eyes. His previous designation deleted itself and the new name Mr. E took its place.

"What did you do to him?" The girl yelled.

"Given him a purpose, to me." His master said. The expression on his face changed however when the girl charged at him. Mr. E grabbed her by the hair and threw her into the corner.

She looked dazed and confused by E's actions. Her pupils told him she was about to become unconscious.

"Please…" She whispered before setting her head down on the floor. Her eyes filled with despair. She was losing hope. Something I lost...long ago.

* * *

Zane opened his eye's looking around to see that Kai was laying next to him curled into his usual position. He reached out placing the back of his hand to Kai's forehead. A sensor popped up in the side of his vision. He felt l just how hot Kai's forehead was.

"That is not good, brother. We really must get out of here. I fear you got a bad concussion." He said reaching down to pick up Kai clutching him to his chest. Warnings popped up all over his vision as he spotted a man standing at the end of the walkway. Who was this person, was he a friend of another challenge?

"Who are you?" Zane called. He waited a moment for the man to answer. An answer, however, wasn't forthcoming. The man didn't even move a little. He didn't like this. "My...aren't you the quiet one." He whispered setting Kai back down placing him a little more under the treds for fear of him being hurt if a brawl broke out. He walked toward the man. He hadn't moved. Just what was he waiting for and what was he doing?

"Are you lost?" Zane called out. "We were placed in here. Might you be able to tell me how to get out? I have a wounded man here." The man leaned his head to the left then right allowing his neck to pop before charging at Zane. Zane gasped with surprise as he was punched. He hit the ground hard. His bow broke under the force of it. He quickly got to his feet getting into a fighting stance. It wasn't fast enough.

"Shi…" He was punched in the jaw. He felt his teeth click together as he slammed to the ground. Zane knew this guy was powerful. He wasn't sure what to do. Zane jumped up, and charged at him grabbing his outstretched arm. Punching upwards connecting with his arm causing it to pop out of alignment. His arm fell to the floor sparking and sputtering. The strange man picked up his arm and fitted it back into place.

"Your a nindroid…" Zane was surprised. "Please...you don't have to do this." Zane said walked backwards. The nindroid charged him once more. Punching him in the chest. His chest plate bowed inwards and the door hung open. Zane fell to his knees panting.

"Who are you?" Zane whispered he looked behind him at the same tiger pit they got the machine to fall into. He wasn't sure how he was going to get out of this one. He closed his eyes, his chest spitting and sputtering from the feel of what had been done. He felt like someone took a spike to his inner workings. He felt a rush of wind.

Someone's arm wrapped around him. He knew that scent, it was relaxing. He opened his eyes to see the nindroid against the wall. His head at an odd angle probably from slamming into the side of the wall. Zane looked around at Lloyd who leaned against Nya.

"C-C-ole?" Zane's voice was skipping.

"Shhh stay quiet."

"K-Kai is b-b-behin-d-d-d the machine." He sounded like a skipping cd. Cole picked him up.

"What happened to him?" Nya asked.

"A-A-Another mach-ch-ch-chine." Zane answered laying his head down on Cole's shoulder.

"Hush now, Zane." Cole whispered "Save your strength." Zane nodded letting Cole run his fingers through his hair. Zane fell limp in his arms. Cole nearly panicked until he saw the white button in the corner of his eyes.

"Stand by mode. He's fixing himself." Nya said. Cole sighed.

"Good…" Cole continued to run his fingers through Zane's hair. "Get some rest, love. I'll be waiting."


	16. Chapter 16

**_Authors Notes: Recently I've been called out for making this fic. Apparently making this fic with a child as a slave is racist. Racism is based on superiority and this has nothing to do with superiority over a race. Whereas Kairi doesn't have a race. She was created by gene splicing. Her skin is milky white. The person who said these things about me and this fic didn't read it...at all. They just summed it all up via synopsis. So...without any further interruptions...chapter 16._**

 ** _Triggers: Some blood._**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 16_**

 ** _Electrifying_**

Kairi had watched the screen across the desk as Mr. E and Zane fought. She watched them with pure horror as her father nearly fell into the tigers pit, and screamed when Cole ran through pushing Mr. E into the wall catching Zane and pulling him close.

She sat on the floor looking around the room, slowly trying to stand up on her blistered feet. She wasn't mad, she was furious. She glared at the screen and viciously attacked it. She grabbed it and threw it at the wall, shattering it before picking up a chair with some effort and threw it at the tv too. The fruit was knocked from the basket to the floor.

The door slammed open and Dr. Brill stood there glaring down at her. He went to grab her by the hair. She grabbed his hand and bit down hard on it. He screamed out trying to get her face away from his fingers.

"Guards!" His screams increased when she crunched down harder onto his fingers, biting them clean off. He hit the ground, shaking as he glanced at the two stumps where his first and second finger were. He looked around, seeing them on the floor wiggling like they were speared worms.

Kairi plucked the keys from his belt. She unlocked her cuffs and ran out the door, hitting the fire alarm as she did. The hallways went from dimly lit to red as the alarms began to sound.

Kairi dashed down the hallway as far from the man as she possibly could. She needed to find Jay.

(0)

The walls all fell down around them, revealing an exit off in the distance.

"What the…" Cole whispered.

Even the machines and animals went back to other doors with cages as if cleaning themselves off the chess board. Then the lights began to glow red.

"Uh...what happened?" Cole looked at Nya who shrugged her shoulders, looking down at her brother who was now cleaned from her water. His eyes were open and he was actually looking around, but his head still wrapped in her pinkish red sash.

"Come on, let's not waste this opportunity." Lloyd limped toward the exit. Two guys stepped out and into the area.

"You lot better stay put." One of the guards said

"Oh and whys that?" Cole held Zane closer to him

"There's a small panic up top. The rich folks are worried that we're gonna crash cause when someone pushes the fire button...everything stops." One said. The other nodded.

"But dude...we're on the bottom floor. If this place does fall out of the sky this place will be destroyed we gotta get out of here." Kai limped toward the door. One of the guys stood in his way, pushing him back. Kai back paddled and landed on his butt.

"Hey, that's my brother!" Nya ran at the guy. The man side stepped grabbing Nya's pony tail and back handed her to the floor. Lloyd ran over to her. Blood bubbled from her nose and lip.

"Nya?!" Kai kneeled down, looking her over. "I think we're running out of sashes." He laughed.

"Well at least yours is red." Nya said as he dabbed at her face.

"You'll be just fine sis." He helped her up. She grew dizzy and leaned on his shoulder.

A bright flash and both men landed hard to the ground. There eyes locked with Jay's.

"They hurt Nya." He said

"Jay! Where's my daughter?" Cole looked around. He placed Zane in Lloyd's arms. Lloyd nearly fell over from the weight.

"Cole…" He gritted his teeth and just sat down on the ground.

"She's there." Jay pointed to the opening of the exit. Kairi's soft glowing eyes was what greeted him. He had no idea what came over him. He ran forward and gathered her in his arms, kissing her forehead.

"Baby, are you okay?" He looked at her feet seeing the blisters.

"I'm alright dad...just a little...banged up." She glanced around at the others.

"Your mouth." He saw the blood.

"Its Dr. Brills blood. I bit his fingers off." Cole burst out laughing. "Then I turned on the fire alarm." She said pointing upstairs.

"Yeah but now we're kinda going down." Jay said.

"Going down?" Nya asked.

"Yeah not too fast though."

"The Bounty should still be up top though." Lloyd motioned for them to follow. "Come on let's get out of here."


	17. Chapter 17

**_Auhors Notes: This concludes it. Hope you liked it._**

 ** _Please read and review._**

* * *

 ** _A Heart Between Us_**

 ** _Chapter 17_**

 ** _Fireball_**

Explosions began to rock the whole airship. It caused the ninja to bumped into one another as they ran through the hull. They were farther down then they realized. It took a bit to get up from the pit. They heard the two guys waking up from the shock Jay had given them. They weren't that far behind them.

The hallway came into view. The ivory colored walls, and the marble floors welcomed them. There was smoke coming from within the ship. This place was no longer safe to be on. Kairi looked around at the whole place.

This place was where she was created, and trained. It was burning up.

Smoky air was what welcomed them as they got out on deck. There were people running all over the place, An official barking orders as they ran into the engine room that ran into the engine room that was billowing smoke. Cole ran along toward the Bounty. It was still hitched to the side. Lloyd lay Zane down on the side.

"Wait...I've got to go back to get Echo…" Kairi ran off the Bounty and toward the door again. Cole jumped off the Bounty and ran after her.

"Kairi stop! You'll get hurt!" Cole yelled.

"Cole!" Lloyd yelled " Hurry!" He looked around at Zane who was beginning to come to.

Cole grabbed Kairi and turned back toward the Bounty. The hull crackled and fell in front of them. Cole jumped back pulling Kairi with him. His eyes roamed over the deck hearing panicked screams from behind him. He glanced around seeing the men fall through the roof into the fire.

He turned to look at the Bounty as it took to the air swinging around trying to drop a ladder down to them. It caught fire as they did so.

That was when they heard it. A gun shot rang out. Cole grabbed his stomach and doubled over, dropping Kairi to the hot ground. She rolled to a stop and scurried back toward Cole. He gritted his teeth, seeing Brill standing in front of him. A gun in one of his hands. The other wrapped in his almond colored scarf. His white suit ruined with the red from the blood in his hands.

"You...you ruined everything." He pointed the gun at Kairi. She gasped, shielding her face. Water began to fall from the Bounty drenching them. It must have been Nya trying to get the fire to at least calm down so they could drop a ladder to them. They needed it now...Cole lay on his side blood bubbling from his belly.

The gun clicked and he glared at it like it betrayed him. He threw it to the side and it skidded into the many holes that were now all around them. Kairi could feel the ground around her starting to cave as well. She jumped to the side and grabbed Coles leg trying to pull him too.

"Kairi hold on!" Jay called down to her. "We're coming."

Kairi, however, didn't hear him. She was scared out of her mind. Just what was going to happen now? He reached out grabbing her hair and pulling her up.

"If it weren't for them...I'd be a millionaire now and you...you wouldn't be here...you'd be someone's little slave girl the way you were designed. You'd probably be dead!" He screamed, and threw her down on the roof.

She was winded by the force of the throw. She turned over to try and get up quickly only to be kicked in the stomach. She would have thrown up, if she had anything in her belly. He swung at her again.

Nothing happened. She turned over to look up to see the man being held off the ground by a nindroid dressed in black. His helmet gone. Echo glared at the man who was choking. The one dressed in black spoke to him, or rather tried to, but nothing came out. Not a single word.

"Echo…?" Kairi gasped as the man was tossed to the side and into one of the holes. The mains deadly screams were all she heard as Echo leaned down to pick up Kairi. At first she was iffy about him, she had seen him almost kill Zane. But he pulled her close patting her back. Her head hurt to much to really worry about it. If she were going to die now, she was too exhausted to do anything about it, so she put her head on his shoulder.

A ladder fell down to them. The ninja jumped down as Pixal lowered the gurney. Tonight would be a long night.

A few days had passed. Kairi opened her eyes and looked around. The same room, the same scent of junipers, everything she loved about her room.

She turned her heavy head and spotted the nindroid sleeping in the corner. He had refused to leave her side, it would seem his vocal processor had been fixed and was sitting in his neck like he had before. She slowly got out of bed trying not to wake the bronzed nindroid. Walking into the hallway, she listened as quietly as she could.

Soft snores, and light breathing could be heard. Walking from one room to the next she saw the ninja sleeping. Kai sleeping with his head at the foot board, Jay curled up with his stuffed animal, Lloyd sleeping on a book, Nya curled up in a little ball, but when she looked into Zane, and Coles room they weren't there. She gasped thinking the worst. But then there was soft talking. She peeked within the library and listened.

"But babe...Isn't it taboo?" Coles hoarse voice asked. Zanes answered.

"I have been looking over the ancient books Cole and none of them say I can not be with you. I am by way a male yes, but I am also a nindroid making the law null and void. We can marry." Zane said holding out a small disk to him and Cole looked up at him with a soft smile and took it. The disk broke in two and he chuckled.

"Well...how can I argue with that. Besides you make it so easy." He said pinning his half onto his gi. He looked up and smiled.

"Well hey there squirt." Cole smiled as Kairi ran over and hugged him. Cole pulling Zane closer.

"Ow kid...watch it…" Cole mumbled and sat back down. This was something she had wanted. Someone to love her, very much. They definitely deserved this, and so did she.


End file.
